Thursday, December 31, 2009

I know, I know. I said I was going to upload the live set of Birds Fled From Me from like two saturdays ago. In case you forgot or don't know, you can go back and read my little bio about Rachel, or Birds Fled From Me.

Holidays and stuff keep me busy. Or busy-ish. Anyways, it's done now, just in time for the new year. So listen to it, it's got some new songs and some lovely sing-alongs.

The quality isn't 'great', but it's good enough to listen to. Pretty good, coming from an iphone I found in the snow and all. Another story for another time.

I have an odd desire to make a best of list for this year. I'm horrible at that, and when people do those things they always include an 'edgy' or 'off-kilter' choice. You know, to make themselves stand out. If I do make a list, it'll be my favorites. That's it, no fucking politics. That being said, no matter how much stuff I listen to, there's always more. So, I guess I shouldn't call my list a best of list, but more of a favorites. Now that I've devoted all this time to this topic, I have to do it now. I feel like I just vomited this idea into this paragraph. Oh well. Perhaps my new year's resolution will be to not vomit my ideas into my blog?

Anyways, stay tuned for a couple of albums that I couldn't stop listening to this year.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

I've been thinking, well, I post about all this obscure stuff, but maybe people haven't heard of more mainsteam things.

Then, this morning, I was playing Electrelane's The Power Out. And then it hit me.

"Gee, you know, there are probably lost souls who haven't heard this amazing album"

The next thing I thought was:

"Gee, I'm a lost soul who is permenantly damaged by me not seeing them live before they broke up"

One of my friends did however, and i'm still ticked off about it.

However, I love Electrelane too much to fret over small things like that. The best way to describe them is a female punk/organ version of early era Modest Mouse. I also love early era Modest Mouse. Coincidence? I think not. But, since MM is pretty popular today, than my retarded logic should follow that Electrelane would thus also be popular and more people would like them.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Of all the bands that have just released a 7'' and have an upcoming album to be released that unfortunately no one seems to care about or know, Kc Quilty is by far the best.

They've got a real great mix of some of my favorite stuff- 90's indie rock. Not much rock left in indie. Not to say that's bad, but I'm always one to enjoy something new and out of the ordinary. These days, having Nirvana as an influence is out of the ordinary.

Since they don't do folk or random noise, they won't get the attention they deserve. I'm still rooting for you guys though!

Keep them on your radar. Buy their 7''. Or wait till their album comes out. I have a feeling it's going to be good. Especially if you like guitars and that long lost genre of indie rock.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Last night, I had the pleasure of seeing a favorite of mine, and a local to boot. Rachel Williams, or Birds Fled From Me, is perhaps at this time Santa Cruz's (ca) best indie folk musician. We don't have too many.

She just got back from an European tour, and she kept complaining of jet lag. The only thing I could tell that was off was she was really nervous, but shit, I would be too, and she had a ton of her friends there which probably was what made her nervous in the first place. Anyways, her voice was powerful, beautiful, and intense, and she even played the guitar. For a 'learner', she sure seems pretty good to me. But, I don't play anything so I can't really judge.

I do love small local shows. There was about twenty people there total, and I think I was pretty much the only person there she didn't personally know. I'm not complaining, the dynamics produced some interesting and unique sing-alongs.

As for a style, well, she does some a capella stuff with loops, and now some stuff with guitar and a bassist and drummer. (sorry, guys, I don't know your names). Oddly enough, I like her fuller band sound better, it turns her more into a folk/rock singer than just another female folk singer with an acoustic guitar. On one of her new songs, she reminded me of Chrissie Hynde or Pat Benetar. Which I think is good, because now that Sleater-Kinney isn't around, we kind of need a strong female rock personality in the indie world.

I've kind of neglected the fact that two other bands played. That Ghost, another band I enjoy, from Santa Rosa played first, but as he's a guy, I'll just let you check out his myspace. John Houx also played, and finished up a two-month tour. Very dylan-esque.

I also recorded the show, I haven't looked at it, but hopefully it came out decent. If it did, I'll put that up here for you to listen to as well. She played a couple of songs you can't find anywhere.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Oddly, not many people seem to remember The Third Sex. They were an all girl band on the chainsaw label in the mid-late 90's. They released two albums, Card Carryin' and Back To Go. Perhaps of their similarity to the infamous Sleater-Kinney, they got forgotten in the shuffle. (actually, this is one of the few bands that actually sounds like Sleater-Kinney, at least to me)

Musically, it's more of a poppier dig me out or hot rock era Sleater-Kinney, with a little more jangle than riff. The vocals are little scratchier and a lot less powerful than Corin Tucker's. But, taken on it's own, it's pretty good indie rock.

I find band histories fun, how they form, tensions within the band that either lead them to produce a masterpiece or a flop, and usually lead to the band's demise.

The Sallyangie is a pairing of siblings, Mike and Sally Oldfield, to be exact. You probably know them from their respective side projects and solo work. Apparently the name is an amalgamation (ooh, big word) of "Sally" and "Angie", the name of a song written by Davey Graham. They only released this one album, Children of the Sun, (How 60's!), from 1969. Mike was only 16 at the time, apparently. They broke up after this album.

Musically, it's fairly standard 60's folk, but not boring. Some of it gets a little trying for me, but they have enough variation and imagination to seperate themselves. with interesting vocal interplay by the members. It does get a little psychedelic, and a little over the top, in that 60's hippie way, but it's all part of the fun. But with all these bands these days with animals in their name and folk in their hearts, it's nice to step back and see where they came from. Bands with no animals in their names.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Kellarissa is the solo artist Larissa Loyva. You may know her from P:ano. These days, she's up in Vancouver, B.C., and by the amazingness of her new(ish) album, doing great. Her album came out in 2008, hence the new(ish). I saw her live with Rose Melberg and Dreamdate (lucky, lucky, I know). And someday, I'll blog about Dreamdate too.

As for what she sounds like, it's kind of got electrelane moments, dreamy haze, some mazzy star, a little loungy with some piano, and a lot of reverb and program loops. How she does all of this with her 'candied yam' (aka yamaha) I have no clue. All I know is that it is truly out of this world and some of the more unique sounds in a while. I especially loves when she sings in finnish.

I am a horrible reviewer. That's why I post what I love. I would pretty much marry her. I also feel like I can never accurately describe music via text. At least I tried.

Monday, December 14, 2009

I love Heartless Martin. Let me rephrase that. I love anything Corin Tucker has ever done. Heartless Martin was a one-off side project she did with Becca Albee of Excuse 17. The tonight ep they released in 1993 was their only release. It's early Corin Tucker, so lots of passion, emotion, rawness, but not in a 'screamo' way. Like Heavens to Betsy, Bikini Kill, all that other Riot Grrrl stuff. Very lo-fi as well. I hope you enjoy it as much as me.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

I have a disturbing love for 80's italo disco/hi-nrg stuff. For those who don't speak music nerd, basically stereotypically cheesy 80's pop with some disco mixed in. I know, it sounds horrible, but just try it! It's really great dance music. Just listen to it by yourself with some good bass, and trust me, you'll lighten up and dig the grooves.

I came across a rather rare record, and had the good luck of deciding to listen to it. Pro skills me. Anyways, I happened to love it, and it happened to be some cool italo disco (more than hi-nrg. If you hadn't figured out, "hi-nrg" is faster and a little synthier in general). I searched really, really, hard for more info on this artist, yolette, and found nothing. This single was released on his own label. He also put out another single. Hopefully, I will buy it and convert it over to mp3 for y'all.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Simply put, really great garage/punk from L.A. (boyle heights) in the mid-1990's. Simply put, the best band ever from Boyle Heights. For fans of Mika Miko, Bikini Kill, New Bomb Turks, etc. If you like punk, you're gonna like it. People generally know if they like punk or not.

I also recommend their full length P.S. I Hate You.

'Listen': (haha, right?, but seriously, bands need a little cash to be able to order like pizza and not die people)

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

That sentence just meant I don't finish things. But as you can't really finish a blog, I can't fail! Yay!

But seriously, this is aboot music. (I'm half canadian, lay off).

And yes, you can be half canadian.

The first band i'm going to talk about is the new bloods. They don't include the 'the' in the name. Criminally underrated 'girl-post-punk' revival in the vein of the raincoats etc. They're from Portland, Oregon(who would've guessed?).

What the fuck this blog is about

Just a nerdy guy who loves female vocals and thinks he knows something about music, just another voice in the blogosphere. This blog focuses on old forgotten rock/punk/folk/experimental bands (mostly) and new bands I like, that are 'truly' underground. You'll see no shallow hype or populist leanings. I try my hardest to bring to light things that don't exist on the internet or are very hard to find.

I focus on bands with at least one female vocalist, post 1976, to today. I am very involved with the west coast DIY scene and will have updates/ introductions to female-centric bands.

Just Stuff

If you're in a band and want some airtime... send records/cds to me at kdvs

KDVS 90.3 FM ATTN: ALEX SURBER 14 Lower Freeborn Davis, CA 95616

I only post songs or 7"s to give you an incentive to buy the music. However if you are a label/band and that upsets you please just get a hold of me and I will remove it.